Mark Shields, the longtime Washington Post political columnist who was a fixture of “PBS NewsHour” and a co-host of CNN’s “Capital Gang,” died on June 18. He was 85.
Shields was known on-air for his tact and wit in delivering incisive analysis and commentary about U.S. politics and policy battles in Washington.
Shields’ death was confirmed in tweet from “PBS NewsHour” anchor Judy Woodruff. Woofruff praised her colleague “who for decades wowed us with his encyclopedic knowledge of American politics” as well as “his sense of humor and mainly his big heart,” she wrote.
Shields’ signed off of his regular Friday night segment of “PBS NewsHour” in December 2020 after more than 30 years with the show. His tenure began during the 1988 presidential election when the broadcast was known as “The MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour.”
Earlier in his career, Shields’ worked in politics, starting out in 1965 for Wisconsin Sen. William Proxmire. He also worked on Robert F. Kennedy’s ill-fated presidential campaign in 1968. Shields worked on three other presidential campaign efforts, and he helped manage various political campaigns in 38 states over his 11 years as an operative.
Shields began writing a column for the Washington Post in 1979.
Shields’ survivors include his wife of many years, Anne.
More to come
Source: Read Full Article
